The southern shore of Payette Lake is in downtown McCall, and its beaches are a popular hangout once the weather gets warmer. Nearby McCall is a year-round adventure tourism destination with downhill skiing, snowshoeing, and fat biking riding in the winter and hiking, kayaking, and swimming in the summer months. Nearby Activities: The reservoir is a popular picnicking spot and is well-stocked with fish. Campsites at the reservoir have no amenities, so come prepared with plenty of drinking water and an empty blackwater tank. The reservoir isn’t very large but has plenty of space for swimming and fishing. Tripod Reservoir Sitting just off of Highway 55, near the town of Smith’s Ferry, Tripod Reservoir is an ideal boondocking site for those visiting McCall and the Payette River Valley. More Information: Pend Oreille Wildlife Management Area A railroad causeway at the south end of the WMA acts as a breaker for large waves on Lake Pend Oreille and makes this one of the best spots for novice kayakers and swimmers. ![]() Nearby Activities: The entire WMA is limited to non-motorized use, making for plentiful hiking trails and quiet moments on the lake. The WMA’s campgrounds can be found all around the north side of the lake, but most have minimal amenities: toilets, fire rings, and picnic tables can be found at the majority of them, though. The lake also has a plentiful supply of Yellow Perch, Rainbow and Cutthroat Trout, and bass. The lake is a popular birdwatching and hunting area as tens of thousands of ducks, geese, and swans pass over it every fall. Pend Oreille Wildlife Management Area Located on the north end of Lake Pend Oreille and only ten miles from the tourist hotspot of Sandpoint, this WMA is one of the best places for boondocking in Idaho. For more adventurous kayakers, there’s the Kootenay River running through town. Nearby Activities: The lake is a popular swimming and fishing hole for Bonner’s Ferry residents and the occasional tourist. There’s also a vault toilet and hand pumps for drinking water, but they’re out of service more often than not, so plan accordingly. Smith Lake is a short drive from Bonner’s Ferry and is home to a few boondocking sites with picnic tables and fire rings. Three mountain ranges, the Cabinets, Purcells, and Selkirks, encircle the region and provide an abundance of trails for intrepid hikers. Smith Lake All the way up in the northern section of Idaho’s panhandle is the town of Bonner’s Ferry. These are just a few of the best options for boondocking in Idaho. Will a kayak be involved? Do you like to stick close to the cities for shopping and cultural events? Do you prefer more amenities or fewer fellow campers? There’s something for everyone in the Gem State if you know where to look. Idaho’s a big place with a wide variety of terrain, so start by thinking about what types of places you’re interested in visiting. ![]() Your Guide to the Best Boondocking in Idaho If you’re unsure about the legality of a site, it’s always better to ask management or a ranger in the case of public land. If you’re just looking for a place to spend the night before venturing into the wilderness, most of Idaho’s cities do not have a local law prohibiting RVs from camping in private parking lots like Walmart or Cabela’s. You also can’t park within a mile of a developed campground or trailhead. The Bureau of Land Management areas and National Forests have a fourteen-day maximum stay, while Idaho’s Wildlife Management Areas are typically limited to a ten-day stay within a month-long period. One thing to note is that you can only stay on public land for a certain number of days in the Gem State. Anywhere you can find a suitable large area to pull off the road on public land is considered fair game. If you’re ready to embark on such a journey, keep reading to learn more about what you need to get started.Ī full 61% of Idaho’s land is considered public, so boondocking is absolutely legal here. ![]() What’s the best way to see all of these beautiful lands beyond the potato fields? An RV rental from Cruise America will give you the freedom to travel to every breathtaking corner of the state, and you’ll never need to worry about accommodations, especially if you’re boondocking in Idaho. ![]() Then there’s Lake Pend Oreille up in the panhandle, with 111 miles of spectacular shoreline and some of the best fishing in the Pacific Northwest. Meanwhile, the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness is one of the most scenic and untouched areas in the country and is the largest roadless environment outside of Alaska. But the potato fields actually only make up a tiny portion of the state. Potatoes, potatoes, potatoes, that’s all anyone ever seems to think of when they’re talking about Idaho.
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